Time for another installment of Cid's Painfully Literal and Not Quite Accurate Japanese Translations!

Dear [censored]

Thank you so much for your letter and for coming to the concert. I loved Happy Night. I was my first time hearing it sung live, but I really liked it (for the love of God, someone clean that up). I want to sing live again. Thank you so much for your support. I'm going to try my best in 2005, too, so please keep supporting me! Thank you for the upcoming photobook appointment. I feel so great, so please look forward to that. Please let me know what you think again.Well, please write me again.

Eh, you got it well enough. It's to a fan by the way. It's a reply to a fan letter.

Any changes I would make would be really minor and pointless

Actually, if you wouldn't mind, corrections would be greatly appreciated. Although I'm just finishing up my second year of Japanese, I've devoted next to no time outside of class to studying it. As a result, although I do very well in class, when I come across real-world examples, even as simple as this, I'm stuck trying to shoehorn whatever I'm reading to fit what few previous examples I know.

another letter from Eri, much cuter looking than the other one. I already had this translated for me, I just wanted to show it. But in case someone wanted to know what it said (thx to Philosoranter):

Dear -> ____-san,I saw your brithday message Thank you very much!! I was so happy.I'm sad that Abe-san has graduated, but I'll do my best in the 14 member Morning Musume. Sakuragumi concerts are just beginning again, and I think it will be nice to grow into myself. When I receive your and other fan's messages of encouragement, I always think, "I'm really going to do my best!" I'm filled with happiness and incentive. Well then, please keep supporting Morning Musume!

Wow, I never thought that handwriting could be both sloppy and girly, but Eri has proven me wrong once again. I tutor high school kids in japanese, and I still found her handwriting hard to read! This reminds me, I really need to get around to writing some fan letters one of these days. Maybe if I write the letters both in english and japanese, I'll get a faster response.

Q: What is your age?Robot: There is about 60% of MoMusu fans in the 10's. That would make Kaorin a big sister!

Q: What is your occupation?Middle school student, High school student, college student, company worker, government worker, part-time worker, self-employed, house wife, otherRobot: Number 1 is high school student, and 2 is company workers. They must have supported MM from when they debuted.

Q: Your cell phone company?Robot: There are a lot of Docomo users. Au and Vodafone also did their best.

Q:Do you like Prime Minister Koizumi?Yes, No, Don't really careRobot: Less about Koizumi, I'm more worried about which member is going to graduate next.

Q: How many MM ringtones do you have?1, 2-5, 6-20, completeRobot: There's a lot of 10's to 20's year old that have every song.

Q: Who has MM ringtones?Same as occupation listRobot: There's a lot of high school students and company workers, while there is litte for college students. Are female embarrassed that MM ringtones will be heard?

Q: How much you donate?

Q: Who you want to be as a girlfriendSayumi: student/otherKonno: company worker/otherAi: male/femaleYaguchi: male/femaleMiki: male/female

With a cheerful greeting of “Hello!” that is Yoshizawa Hitomi, smiling naturally. During that time, the room was embraced with light and shine. In Morning Musume, she came shining brightly with energy and in futsal, she displays bold leadership…The recent girl who shines with a positive passion even comes out at every conversation. Anticipating activities as the new sub-leader, Yossi is forever the handsome girl!

Interviewer: With Iida graduating, you take the position of sub-leader. Number 3 from the top!

Yossi: And, next, when Rika graduates, I’ll be number 2 from the top! If I think about that, I’m really shocked (laughs).

Somehow, right now, you seem to have the image of being “the center of the 4th generation members”.

I think of it like that myself. Among the 4th generation members, I’m always the frivolous and staggering characters or position, so it’s like “Wah! Number 2! I’m the sub-leader!”

Worried?

My parents seem to be worried. They say, “You became number 2? Are you going to be okay? (laughs)” But they don’t say, “It’s impossible for you,” so [not sure] and I want to do this.

With other people graduating, are you taking this advantage to change yourself?

In my case, with anybody’s graduation, there was little in big changes in positions. With that meaning, I don’t think I will change. It is just, if that time comes, with lonely thoughts, my feelings will switch to, “I have to go next.”

Do you think you will become strong on that journey?

Let’s see. I don’t often move. Even if members change, in the end, my place wouldn’t change and the things I do won’t change. Morning Musume has members come and go and it doesn’t destroy a fragile thing… more like strong, I feel like I’ve come to think positively.

In other context of age, in a group, do you feel that your position has changed?

Umm, I wonder. I don’t feel that I have changed, but if you look around the outside, I think that I probably have changed, a lot.

How so?

Before, even in backstage, I was a person who didn’t often go mix [mingle] with everybody else. Recently, somehow, I’ve been hanging out with everybody naturally. In that case, I have changed a little. But, even now, there are times where I’m alone. I haven’t really changed changed. Still, when I do events, I wonder if they can see my surrounding have changed.

Do you realize it yourself that you “want to change?”

No, it just flows naturally. I don’t really think to myself, “I should do it this way.” But, the one thing [I want to try] is just once, I want to see from an objective point of view.

Personally yourself?

There is also that. Even to anything. If I think in Morning Musume and think while looking from the outside objectively, wouldn’t it be different? For example, I think I’m definitely doing things well of course and have lots of self-confidence doing things. In addition, because of that result, if you think of how you see Yoshizawa Hitomi … in other words, is ordinary [not completely sure about this entire sentence… o_O]. If it’s like that way, then right now, even with the [uncertain] feelings I have, I can see it clearly [even less sure about this….]. If it becomes like that, I also start to understand things like, “If I do it like this way, the atmosphere will become better.”

Right now, if Yoshizawa Hitomi is like this, it is like cool. Do you have a sense producing yourself by yourself?

I do have that. How do society see Morning Musume’s Yoshizawa Hitomi? Therefore, when I’m in the house, occasionally, I think watching TV through the eyes of an ordinary viewer is important. Which I do. If I don’t, no matter what, liking myself will go in the direction of [bakka]. My world would become bigger (laughs).

The recent Yoshizawa is an “aggressive Yoshizawa.” Just what are you positive towards?

Hahaha. Let’s see. Basically, the state of being completely free (laughs) and if I put on a wig for the short story, ‘pon,’ I become that character. If I wear cool clothes, I become that kind of character. Fundamentally, I always live “naked.”

Ohhh, a naked character (laughs).

Not that. It’s like I receive colors and with that, I change frequently and have fun.

When something new comes, are you able to immediately switch to that and be on stand by or being natural self is hard?

But, I’m very fickle. Personality-wise. Therefore, more than just doing one thing forever, every time doing lots of various things is fun.

Before, you said, “I’m fickle.”

That’s because I’m really fickle. I don’t keep going. But I do keep going when I like it. Even in fashion, I’m rapidly changing. It’s just even I’m in the middle of changing, there are still things I like [her old clothing style I assume]. As I leave those things behind [could also change that to save], later, I will like the changing more.

It’s been 5 years since your debut as Morning Musume…

It’s amazing, isn’t. I haven’t continued doing something for 5 years.

What about volleyball?

About 3.5 years.

Well, you pulled out of volleyball.then.

Wah, I did pull out. Amazing.

Was there any moments you were tired of Morning Musume?

There are “I’m Morning Musume Yoshizawa Hitomi” boring moments.

Really?

Many times (laughs). I think its “very tiresome” and I want to really change. I have moments like that. It’s like, if I do “me” every single day, I become tiresome.

I felt that I didn’t have my own style to begin with. Even in my usual life, for example, there are times where I want to be right on absurd rules [follow a strict pattern]. For those times, I get up at 7, take a walk, makes sure I eat 3 meals a day, take a bath at night and go to bed before 12…that kind of life feels good. But, while continuing like that, it becomes boring, so next time, I want it to become a [dara-] livelihood. I wonder if doing that kind of thing lets my feelings out.

So, by changing you are able to become less stressful.

Yes. Changing the hairstyle changes the mood, so the color changes often too.

But, in Morning Musume, it's not monotonous.

That’s true. There are a lot of different members in Morning Musume, we sing different kinds of songs, and there are a lot of different dances. Everyday we do a different kind of work. Being in one group; in that group, I can rapidly change. That’s why, I think, it's not monotonous.

Members change within a group, as well as position changes; all this fits you, huh?

Moreover, if I’m also looking at them with always the same hair style and clothes, and just doing the same things, I think it would get boring. Therefore, personally, I want to change constantly. To a degree that’s not often gone (laughs).

When was the most boring time for “Morning Musume Yoshizawa Hitomi?”

Um, I wonder when… Around last year? Around 2003. I got bored and wandered around.

Wandered around?

It was like, “What should I do next? What should I become?” That’s right, it was like I was very tired of it.

Why did you become bored?

I feel to be bored is closer to “being lost.” It was like I couldn’t let out all the sadness feeling. I didn’t say, “Tomorrow is certainly this!” but I felt being embraced by a mowaa-n feeling. While doing [something that I don’t know] properly, I’ll be sure to move forward, but… inside, it was like I didn’t grab onto “something.” I felt I couldn’t see. It’s like, being student, a rebellious age? I’ve always continued being close to that kind of feeling.

And the first time of being rebellious?

Let’s see. I felt hazy towards all things. Even towards me and even towards my surrounding environment. If there was something inside of me, and besides that thing, everything else was a contradiction.

Surely, it was a rebellious mental stage.

Everything was a barrier. I felt like that’s enough, and shut out everything! Steadily, it became a condition of repelling everything. That’s why, I didn’t often listen to what other people said. And, then during 2004, little by little, I felt refreshed.

Your surrounding seems to be “charge” and “discharge.”

That may be so. When I feel like going to bed, gah, and I become awake and move around a lot.

When it became 2004, what happened that made you become “awake?”

I wonder what it is… One thing is I started “talking.” Even up until now, I usually have normal conversations with the members and manager, but it is just, if it turns to things about your inner thoughts I don’t often talk to people. There wasn’t a person I could talk to [about those things].

That was when you joined Morning Musume?

No, no. It’s been like that since I was little. Even my parents, long ago, I wasn’t a kid who talked about my worries right now. It was just very candid conversations, like, “Food! What? There’s none? Then, I’ll sleep!”

Isn’t that dad-like? (laughs)

But, really, it was just like that way. Even when my worries piled up inside of me, I didn’t know how to go ask anybody for advice. But, that condition was normal for me. And, then, last year, around the time of the musical, “Edo Musume Chushingura,” I became good friends with Country Musume, Satoda Mai, and Coconuts Musume, Ayaka. That year in summer, we talked about a lot of various things. Around that time, to exaggerate a little bit, I really thought that life is good. Until then, I plainly felt that I could go on by myself.

Through your friends you’ve changed.

To be able to talk about what you are feeling inside without reservation is really big. From that, gradually, you open even to the people around you. Up until now, I definitely don’t want to say and let other people see my weak points. But opposite of that, I know it’s ok when those points come out.

That’s good. That’s a good start.

Until then, I didn’t know how to clear the stuff that built up inside of me. While sighing, I realize that the bag of candy is empty (laughs). But that kind of thing happens a lot. Even though I don’t eat the candy, while sighing something else, I know I can clear myself when I talk to my friends saying, “It’s like this or it’s like that.” If I do that, even my way of thinking becomes positive naturally.

I wonder if it’s like indigestion.

Umm. It’s mostly like indigestion. But, really, if it stays as indigestions, the poison will build up.

Then, it’s like fecal stasis coming out; sorry for the very rude example.

No, no. Haha; it’s really like that feeling (laughs).

If the poison builds up, then it influences your work, right?

Yes, it has. But, right now it’s fun playing and it’s like, “Alright! Time to do my best at work!” I’m able to maintain that balance. I’ve become able to take things that makes me shut out little by little. If the barrier was wide, I can’t meet other people. And I’m finally in Hello! Project, so the circle of friends is really important [cherished].

Moreover, in this year, futsal activities have become very big?

Let’s see. It’s quite big. About one year has passed. In the end, sports have let me grow.

How?

Basically, it’s something I get excited about, if I do sports. I have also always played volleyball and since I was little I have like all sports. If it becomes that kind of setting, I become [I can’t leave behind quietly?] personality. The part of myself that always [something I’m not sure] comes out.

I wonder if the main cause is that “aggressive Yossi” is attached to that.

In other jobs, if somebody said something along the lines of, “I want do that,” I have had times where I say, “Well, then go for it,” and let them do it. But for futsal, I can’t let anybody do it. When somebody wanted to do it, I say something like, “No, wait a minute! I’ll do it!” Steadily, I wanted to rush out [to do it].

It’s cool, your courageous figure when you are playing futsal.

That’s because it’s really a win-lose world [situation]. And there’s no script. We practice and to see the result of our hard work is really fun. In the end, I love anything related to sports.

This may be true in volleyball too, but when you joined Morning Musume, the physical part [athletic side] was quite harsh.

When I joined the club activities, I saw the talented older members and thought, “I have to catch up,” so I would desperately try my best and when I wear the uniform it was a good feeling… Something similar would be when I first joined Morning Musume. The burning instinct that I felt then; I might have forgotten it recently. But playing futsal revived those memories. I wonder if those feelings are coming out in Morning Musume as well.

Is it connected?

Yeah, it’s connected.

When the fuel that pumps you up goes down, do you still go “gah!” and get pumped up?

Let’s see. When I go try anything, I go pumped up with that ambition. When I play futsal, I surprise even myself. In matches, it’s painful to lose, and right after I run to where the supervisor is and say, “With practice like that, we definitely aren’t going to win!” After that, I head back to the waiting room, go “ha,” and go back, “Eh, did I do something?” “You said that to the supervisor.”

Your adrenaline comes out.

It does. I suddenly become an athletic person. At that time, I’m really interesting (laughs).

Even in Morning Musume, to the younger members, are you strict in athletics?

No, no. That doesn’t happen. It’s just, I work myself hard and grow; probably, I know that if I don’t push hard, I wont grow. At that time, the older members who were working hard, already, looked like demons to me. After all, I got to that position and got close to the people who I saw as demons, I come to realize that “they were angels” (laughs). I’ve got it said to me, so that’s why there’s the me now. And now, to be honest, there is no person scolding like at that time, I feel that there is not enough tension. The time I should say, I can’t properly say it. So I think about it through physical education (laughs).

Becoming sub-leader has lots of responsibilities, right?

From the start, I knew I had to be able to handle it. I have done it properly. But, it might be tough.

The same generation members that you grew up with are graduating; don’t you feel sad?

Nope. It might be because I’ve become aggressive (laughs). The worried [anxious] feelings also turn into something like “let’s do it!” energy. On the other hand, without saying it well, I have thoughts of, “Ah, what am I going to do?” If I show this side to the older members, the younger members won’t come. Without changing from before, I go firmly. I wonder if I’ve become those people who go with such force [strong-wise] that it’s foolish (laughs).

Before, you said you regretted that you stopped playing volleyball midway, but what you did wasn’t useless, right?

Yup, it was a experience for life. I’m glad I did volleyball.

At any rate, you will be graduating Morning Musume as well. Have you thought about it?

From the start, I have thought about what I was going to do when I graduate. Thus, if, really, all the 4th generation members graduated, I have thought about it closely. But, right now, I want to do what I’m suppose to do at the place I’m at right now. However, if my turn comes, I’ll think about it at that time and I want to continue forward.

Hey, you are the last 4th generation member.

When Rika-chan graduates. But, remaining, I want to work intensely. I want to show a Morning Musume that does things when the other 4th generation members weren’t here.

I think your form in “The Manpower!” song was a sign.

Ahahahaha, the other members imitate that well though.

What kind of timing do you want to graduate?

I wonder. More than timing, I think of what kind of graduation ceremony it will be. Everybody has a graduation live. I don’t want to do that. Somehow, it’s embarrassing (laughs). Recently, not just Morning Musume, but there are also Hello! Project graduation lives. If I graduated among that many people, it would be troublesome. I really want to do with less people.

Only friends [and relatives] (laughs)?

Like a hand-shake event graduation.

There isn’t any like that.

But, something like that would be nice (laughs). I really don’t want [something big]. Something that magnificent is embarrassing.

But that’s the opposite.

Yes. I think everybody else also has the same no feeling. The basic Yoshizawa Hitomi is fickle, stubborn, and selfish (laughs). Even though I understand that, I want to graduate like that Yoshizawa Hitomi.

So, eventually, when will that be?

This year I also turn 20. I feel that continuing like this, “I’m Morning Musume,” until like 26, will not happen… Well, I wonder when it will be.

When you graduate, do you think you will change?

Consciously, I think I will definitely change. I have no choice. When in a group, I feel more relieved. Everybody is there, so we can help each other and it usually happens. But, if going solo, there’s nobody to lean on. In another way, group and solo are totally different, but there are good things. Therefore, right now, I think there’s plenty of good points displayed in a group.

When you graduate from Morning Musume, is there anything you want to try to do?

There are lots of things, but basically, in the end, I want to do my best even more of what I’m doing now. I won’t be constricted with this one thing.

Ultimately, a fickle personality.

Yup. In a good way, I want to come [something I’m not sure; passion? Desire?]. While doing various things with great [passion? Intensity?], if I can find something of “Ah, I couldn’t live without this,” it would be good. At that time, I may not be a person that is fickle.

However, there doesn’t seem to be anything constricting you.

So it seems. If there’s no passion and no improvement, I can’t grow. Feeling achievement and satisfaction is still far, far away.

As Morning Musume, you still don’t feel satisfied?

Yes. I still don’t feel…satisfied.

And now, everybody from the community has two questions. For you, what kind of person is Tsunku?

A wonderful mentor.

What kind of mentor?

As an artist, I think he’s a very cool person. As Morning Musume, there’s a big part that he is a “dad.” If it is as me as an individual, as an artist he is a big mentor. He did activities in the band, Sharon Q, and then produced… I think he really is a genius. He constantly does challenging things, thinks about different things, but holds lots of traditions. And yet, he make sure he watches each person.

Recently, what kind of advice did you receive?

If it’s advice, I received an email after the New Year’s Hello Pro live. It was something like, “Recently, I think it’s really good.” I was happy. Immediately, I reply, “I’ll do my best.”

Listening to the songs, are there times that makes one understand Morning Musume?

I always think so. In “Roman –My Dear Boy-“ we become men chicks. On the other hand, in “Namida ga Tomaranai Hokago” we become girlish. Like those points, we change a lot.

It’s really an inconstant person…

Yeah, but it’s not tiresome [boring] (laughs).

On to the next question. What kind of person is Morning Musume Yoshizawa Hitomi?

What kind of person… a father-like person.

Eh?

Father! Usually isn’t a father in a tsukkomi position? To a daughter he would say, “You’re way of walking is bad,” and such. But, even with that, the daughter loves her dad. If something happens, [the dad would] be easy and praise [the daughter] and [the daughter] would be happy.

If it’s a crucial moment, there’s an instinct to protect.

Yup. In the end, a father’s words weighs heavily. Even if the mother says, “It’s time to stop playing your game” and is angry, the kids would reply, “A little more, 5 more minutes,” however, the dad would crash down like thunder and they stop, right? I also want to go to that position. More like I want to become [like that].

Recently, I think you become remarkably more like a lady…

What, is that so?! At the basic, I’m like a boy. It’s just, from inside, more than the boy, the middle-age man is coming out. There isn’t any elegance.

I don’t think so.

No, no. I’m basically unrefined [didn’t want to put the real word in; really didn’t sound nice] (laughs). But, when in Morning Musume, that part of me is where I feel I belong.

A position that like me.

That’s because, if I had hair that was wound up and said, “That’s so <3,” I feel like what do I do (laughs). If I think what personality I have that comes out in Morning Musume, in the end, I want the boyish character to go out. When I’m with the other members, usually I’m the father. A parent (laughs).

But [you] don’t want to be like a parent.

But I want to feel like that.

As the pillar of the family!

That’s right. Probably, Yaguttsan, as the leader, as lots of pressure and me, as sub-leader, want to support her no matter how little.

Then, Yaguchi is the mother and Yoshizawa is the father.

Even we balance each other on the inside, it is just like that (laughs).

(2005 January 14)

Morning Musume. My best song “I Wish”I chose this song before, but I don’t think my favorite song, “I Wish” will change. As a 4th generation member, this is a big song. As an individual, I love the music and the lyrics. It’ll forever be my favorite song. However, right now, while having the feeling of “I Wish,” I also have a fair amount of feelings for “The Manpower!!!”(laughs). I have full of power and strength. It’s exactly my feelings right now. I want to go on like that.